Universal installation kit for a built-in unit for installation in a rack

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a universal installation kit, consisting of an installation rail, L- and Z-shaped fastening elbows and/or device-specific installation adapters, by means of which, together with fastening receivers and pairs of fastening bores which are arranged with different horizontal spacings, it is possible to realize installation depths for a multitude of different built-in units of various installation depths and installation positions fastening possibilities.

[0001] The invention relates to a universal installation kit, having aninstallation rail and fastening elbows for a built-in unit to beinstalled in a rack.

[0002] With their rows of fastening receivers in a uniform fasteninggrid, the vertical frame legs of a rack offer a plurality of fasteninglocations for an installation rail whose horizontal dimensions arematched to the distance between occupied vertical frame legs. Differentinstallation rails are known, whose respective fastening bores arematched to defined installation depths of the fastening locations ofbuilt-in units. It is possible here for the installation rails toalready cover several installation depths of a series of types ofbuilt-in units from a particular supplier and manufacturer. However,built-in units from different manufacturers with identical functionsalso exist, which in turn require different installation depths. As arule, this is accomplished by means of particularly assignedinstallation rails, so that it is necessary to make a multitude ofinstallation kits available if a user wants to have a free selection ofbuilt-in units. This applies all the more if the installation kitrequires, besides the particular installation rail, also particularfastening elbows, and if it is necessary to make installation rails ofdifferent dimensions available for installation in different racks.

[0003] It is the object of the invention to produce a universalinstallation kit consisting of an installation rail and fasteningelements, which meets all requirements for the installation of built-inunits of different installation depths from different manufacturers indifferent racks at different spacings and fastening positions of thevertical frame legs of the racks to be occupied.

[0004] In accordance with the invention, this object is attained bymeans of an installation kit in which the installation rail can beinstalled between two vertical frame legs of the rack in the directionof the installation depth and has a horizontally oriented fasteningplate, which is provided with a number of rows of aligned fasteningbores which are arranged in pairs in the longitudinal direction of thefastening plate at different, predetermined horizontal installationdepths of the installation kits, or which can be connected for formingidentical or additional installation depths by means of L-shaped and/orZ- shaped fastening elbows and/or device-specific installation adapters,wherein the fastening plate is longer than the maximum installationdepth of the built-in unit and has an angled-off fastening flange on atleast one end, which is followed by further fastening receivers in thefastening plate which are adapted to different fastening spacingsbetween the vertical frame legs.

[0005] A number of installation depths of the commercially offeredbuilt-in units can already be covered by the rows of fastening bores inthe installation rail. Further installation depths and installationpositions can be covered in connection with the fastening elbows anddevice-specific installation adapters. As a rule, this is sufficient forinstallation units with identical functions from various manufacturers,such as servers. Furthermore, the fastening flanges and fasteningreceivers of the installation rail take advantage of severalinstallation distances and installation situations in different racks,so that in the end a universally usable installation kit is madeavailable and the multitude of special kits become superfluous. Acrucial advantage of the universal installation kit lies in that theinstallation rail can be fastened on profiled sides of the frame legsextending vertically and parallel in respect to it, and thatinstallation units can be selectively attached to fastening surfaceswith predetermined and matched installation depths, which are orientedvertically or parallel in respect to the installation rail. In theprocess it is always possible to set the correct installation depth ofthe installation connecting points of the built-in unit selected for it.

[0006] In accordance with one embodiment, the load-bearing capacity ofthe installation rail is improved in that outside of the fasteningreceivers the fastening plate of the installation rail is reinforced bybeveled edges on its two longitudinal sides.

[0007] In accordance with a further embodiment it is provided that thefastening flanges of the installation rail, which are preferably angledin the direction of the front, are provided with at least one fasteningbracket with a threaded receiver.

[0008] If in this case it is furthermore provided that each fasteningflange terminates in two fastening brackets, whose spacing is matched toa fastening grid of the frame leg fastening receivers, and that thefastening brackets of the fastening flanges of the installation rail areoffset outward by the amount of their thickness past the outside of thefastening flanges, and that their shape is matched to the cross sectionof the fastening receivers of the frame legs embodied as openings, it ispossible to occupy corresponding fastening receivers of the frame legsand to use the fastening brackets as nuts for the screw connections.

[0009] A certain change in the fastening locations of the installationrail and the built-in unit is created in that pairs of fasteningreceivers of the installation rail and pairs of fastening receivers ofthe fastening elbows or installation adapters are embodied as elongatedholes, whose longitudinal dimensions on the installation rail and on thefastening leg of the fastening elbows are oriented vertically orhorizontally, even if the rack, the installation rail, the fasteningelbows and the installation adapters are laid out in a uniform fasteninggrid of fastening bores and/or fastening receivers as the built-inunits.

[0010] The number of installation options can be further increased inthat the fastening receivers of the fastening plate of the installationrail, together with the rows of fastening bores and/or fasteningreceivers of the fastening elbows or installation adapters, are alsoused for fixing further installation depths for the built-in units.

[0011] In the simplest way, the connections replace screw connections.

[0012] The parts of the universal installation kit are preferablyembodied as punched and bent sheet metal parts.

[0013] The invention will be explained in greater detail by means ofexemplary embodiments represented in the drawings. Shown are in:

[0014]FIG. 1, a perspective front view of an exemplary embodiment of aninstallation rail,

[0015]FIG. 2, the attachment of the installation rail to two differentlyoriented frame legs, and the achievement of a short installation depthby means of two Z-shaped fastening elbows,

[0016]FIG. 3, the achievement of a larger installation depth by means ofL-shaped fastening elbows, wherein the fastening surfaces for thebuilt-in unit extend vertically in respect to the installation rail, and

[0017]FIG. 4, an installation situation for variable installation depthswith fastening surfaces oriented parallel in respect to the installationrail, wherein the fastening receivers for attaching the installationrail to the frame legs are included for achieving a defined installationdepth.

[0018] The installation rail 10 in FIG. 1 substantially consists of anarrow fastening plate 11, which at both ends has fastening flanges 14angled toward the front. Directly following these fastening flanges 14,fastening receivers 16 and 17 have been cut into the fastening plate 11,so that the installation rail 10 can be fastened vertically, as well ason profiled sides of the spaced apart vertical frame leg of a rack,which are oriented parallel with the installation rail 10. In this casethe fastening flanges 14 can terminate in fastening brackets 15, whichare provided with a threaded receiver. In connection with the describedexemplary embodiments it is assumed that several fastening locations arematched to a whole number multiple of a commonly employed fasteninggrid, and that this is provided with all parts which are to be connectedwith each other.

[0019] The fastening flanges 14 and the fastening receivers 16 and 17permit the attachment at fastening locations of the rack havingdifferent predetermined horizontal distances. As shown by the verticalpairs of fastening receiver 16, the installation rail 10 can bedisplaced in a vertically limited way at the frame legs, since thesefastening receivers 16 are embodied as vertical elongated holes. Asindicated by the fastening bores 17, only a single fastening screw perside can be sufficient for attaching the built-in units. The fasteningbores 17 can also be used for connecting the installation rail 10 at theframe legs.

[0020] The shape of the fastening brackets 15 of the fastening flanges14 is preferably matched to square or rectangular-shaped fasteningreceivers 26 of vertical frame legs 20 in accordance with FIG. 2. Sincethey are outwardly offset in respect to the outsides of the fasteningflanges 14 by an amount, preferably their own thickness, the fasteningreceivers 26 of the frame legs 20 can receive these fastening brackets15 in such a way that the fastening flanges 14 rest against theassociated profiled sides of the frame legs 20.

[0021] Preferably the fastening plate 11 of the installation rail 10 hasa linear dimension which is greater than the maximum installation depthof the built-in units to be fastened. The fastening plate 11 has anumber of vertically aligned rows 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 and 12.n ofpairs of fastening bores 13, which are arranged in pairs atpredetermined installation depths a, b, c and d. It can be seen herethat the fastening receivers 16 and 17 can also be used for determiningrequested installation depths, as the installation dimensions c and dshow.

[0022] The two longitudinal sides of the fastening plate 11 arereinforced outside of the fastening receivers 16 and 17 by beveled edges18 for improving the load-bearing capacity. Only the end areas 19 arefree of the edges 18.

[0023] The spacing between the fastening bores 13 of the pairs 12.1 to12.n, the same as the spacing between the threaded bores of the twofastening brackets 15 of the fastening flanges 14, are matched to thecommon system fastening grid of the rack and the built-in units. In thiscase it lies quite within the scope of the invention to also set thehorizontal spacing of the pairs 12.1 to 12.n of the fastening bores 13to a separate fastening grid of the built-in units, or to lay them outin accordance with existing installation depths of various commerciallyavailable built-in units.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, through the fastening receivers 16 theinstallation rail 10 can be screwed together with fastening bores 23 ofthe leg 21 of the frame leg 20 of a rack. It is possible here to usetapping fastening screws 35. The pairs 12.1 and 12.3 of fastening bores13 of the fastening plate 11 can also be used for the attachment ofZ-shaped fastening elbows 30. The fastening elbows 30 can be screwed tothe installation rail 10 via the fastening legs 31 with the fasteningbores 32 by using fastening screws 35 and nuts 36. The fastening legs33, which are located parallel with and spaced apart from the fasteningplate 11 and are oriented toward the ends of the installation rail 10,have a row of fastening bores 34, which fix an increased installationdepth a′. In the process, the fastening surface for the built-in unitremains parallel with the installation rail 10.

[0025] In the exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 3, L-shapedframe legs 20 are used, the same as in the exemplary embodiment inaccordance with FIG. 2. The profiled sides for attaching theinstallation rail 10 extend vertically in respect to the installationrail 10 and have a row of square fastening receivers 26. The fasteningbrackets 15 are inserted into flush fastening receivers 26 of the framelegs 20, so that they rest against the facing outsides of the profiledsides of the frame legs 20 which are oriented vertically in respect tothe installation rail 10 and can be screwed together with the threadedreceivers of the fastening brackets 15 by means of screw connectionsconsisting of fastening screws 35.

[0026] The fastening receivers 16 are used on one side of theinstallation rail 10 for the installation dimensions b′ and c′, while anL-shaped fastening elbow 40 is connected with the pair 12.3 or 12.4 offastening bores 13. In the course of this a limited displacement of thefastening elbow 40 in the longitudinal direction of the installationrail, and therefore also the installation depth b′ and c′, is achievedby means of the fastening leg 41 with the horizontally orientedelongated holes as the fastening receivers. As shown by the example ofthe fastening elbow 40, the fastening leg 42 for attaching the built-inunit can face either the right or the left end of the installation rail10. In this case the fastening leg 42 extends vertically in respect tothe fastening plate 11 and in this way offers, together with thefastening receivers 43, a fastening surface extending vertically inrespect to the longitudinal direction of the installation rail 10. Asthe exemplary embodiment shows, if a Z-shaped, as well as an L-shapedfastening elbow 30 and 40 are employed, the two fastening locations forthe built-in unit can also be distributed on fastening surfaces whichare differently oriented toward the installation rail 10.

[0027] The number of fastening receivers 18 and 17, as well as of thepairs 12.1 to 12.n is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown.The fastening surface 11 of the installation rail 10 can be easilyexpanded to new installation depths of built-in units, so that anincreasing number of installation options for different built-in unitsis provided.

[0028] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the installation rail 10is screwed together via the fastening receivers 16 with fastening bores23 in the leg 21 of the frame leg 20, as shown by the tapping screws 35.In the process, the fastening leg 53 of a device-specific installationadapter 50 is screwed on at the same time, in which case the verticalelongated holes 54 are used. The other fastening leg 55 with thefastening bores 56 is screwed together at the pair 12.2 of bores 13 ofthe installation rail 10. The fastening brackets 15 of the fasteningflange 14 can here be fixed in fastening receivers 26 of the fasteningleg 22 of the frame leg 20. The device-specific installation adapter 50constitutes a fastening plate 51 with fastening bores 52 for thebuilt-in unit and extends parallel in respect to the installation rail10, i.e. in the installation depth of the rack. A further installationadapter 50 is connected, for example with the pairs 12.3 and 12.4 ofbores 13, for fastening the built-in unit. This depends on theinstallation depth of the fastening locations for the device.

[0029] As can be easily seen, new installation possibilities with newinstallation depths can be created by means of further pairs of bores 13in the fastening plate 11.

[0030] The fastening elbows 30 and 40 and the installation adapter 50can be matched in tiers to various built-in units in such a way thatnevertheless a uniform front of the installed built-in units isachieved. By means of the installation adapters 50 it is possible viathe distance of the fastening plate 51 from the installation rail 10 tochange to the installation width for the built-in unit. This applies ofcourse also to the fastening legs 34 of the fastening elbows 30 and thewidth of the fastening leg 42 of the fastening elbows 40.

[0031] The fastening legs 53 and 55 of the installation adapters 50 arebeveled at facing sides in an L-shape at the fastening plate 51.

[0032] A universal installation kit is created by means of theinstallation rail 10, the fastening elbows 30 and 40, as well as thedevice-specific installation adapters 50, by means of which theinstallation depths of different built-in units can be covered, so thatit is possible to install the fronts of built-in units, whose height ismatched to standardized height units, for example 2HE, flush in a rack,in spite of different installation depths and installation conditions.

1. A universal installation kit, having an installation rail (10) andfastening elbows (30, 40) for a built-in unit to be installed in a rack,wherein the installation rail (10) can be installed between two verticalframe legs (20 and 25, 20.1 and 25.1) of the rack in the direction ofthe installation depth and has a horizontally oriented fastening plate(11), which is provided with a number of rows (12.1 to 12.n) of alignedfastening bores (13), which are arranged in pairs in the longitudinaldirection of the fastening plate (11) at different, predeterminedhorizontal installation depths (a, b, c, d) of the installation kits, orwhich can be connected for forming identical or additional installationdepths (a′, b′, c′) by means of L-shaped and/or Z-shaped fasteningelbows (30, 30′, 40) and/or device-specific installation adapters (50),wherein the fastening plate (10) is longer than the maximum installationdepth of the built-in unit and has an angled-off fastening flange (14)on at least one end, which is followed by further fastening receivers(16, 17) in the fastening plate (10), which are adapted to differentfastening spacings between the vertical frame legs (20).
 2. Theuniversal installation kit in accordance with claim 1, characterized inthat outside of the fastening receivers (16, 17) the fastening plate(11) of the installation rail (10) is reinforced by beveled edges (18)on its two longitudinal sides.
 3. The universal installation kit inaccordance with claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fasteningflanges (14) of the installation rail (10), which are preferably angledin the direction of the front, are provided with at least one fasteningbracket (15) with a threaded receiver.
 4. The universal installation kitin accordance with claim 3, characterized in that each fastening flange(14) terminates in two fastening brackets (15), whose spacing is matchedto a fastening grid of the frame leg fastening receivers (26).
 5. Theuniversal installation kit in accordance with claim 4, characterized inthat the fastening brackets (15) of the fastening flanges (14) of theinstallation rail (10) are offset outward by the amount of theirthickness past the outside of the fastening flanges (14), and theirshape is matched to the cross section of the fastening receivers (26) ofthe frame legs (20) embodied as openings.
 6. The universal installationkit in accordance with one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that thevertical rows (12.1 to 12.n) of the fastening bores (13) of thefastening plate (11) each comprise at least two fastening bores (13),whose spacing is matched to a multiple of a predetermined fasteninggrid, and the fastening legs (31, 33, or 41, 42, or 53, 55) of thefastening elbows (30, 40), or the installation adapters (50) are alsoprovided with fastening bores (32, 34, 56) or fastening receivers (43,44, 54) which are matched to the fastening grid.
 7. The universalinstallation kit in accordance with one of claims 1 to 6, characterizedin that pairs of fastening receivers (16) of the installation rail (10)and pairs of fastening receivers (44, 54) of the fastening elbows (40)or installation adapters (50) are embodied as elongated holes, whoselongitudinal dimensions on the installation rail (10) and on thefastening leg (41) of the fastening elbows (40) are oriented verticallyor horizontally.
 8. The universal installation kit in accordance withone of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the fastening receivers (16)of the fastening plate (11) of the installation rail (10), together withthe rows (12.1 to 12.n) of the fastening bores (13) and/or the fasteningreceivers (34, 44, 52) of the fastening elbows (30, 40) or installationadapters (50) are also used for fixing the insertion depths (b′, c′) ofthe built-in units.
 9. The universal installation kit in accordance withone of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the installation rail (10)and the fastening elbows (30, 40) are embodied as punched and bent sheetmetal parts.
 10. The universal installation kit in accordance with oneof claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the fastening elbows (30, 40) orinstallation adapters (50) can be screwed together with the installationrail (10), and the built-in unit can be screwed together with theinstallation rail (10) and/or with the fastening elbows (30, 40) orinstallation adapters (50).
 11. The universal installation kit inaccordance with one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that theinstallation rail (10) can be screwed together with the spaced-apartframe legs (20).
 12. The universal installation kit in accordance withone of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the installation adapters(50) are embodied as a device fastening plate (51) with fastening legs(53, 55), which are beveled in an L-shape on two sides.